360Â° (3) Little Secrets

The title of this week`s episode resonates with me as much as the story of the 13 year old Antonia does. I know how devastating little secrets in the family can be when they accumulate and become a huge lie. Perhaps you do too. So I hope that you will read the episode.

The reason we started this story, is so that we could have a chance to explore our society, the mistakes we make, and the solutions we can provide for the problems that we all face.

So as well as commenting on the quality of the deliverance of the story, we would like to hear you comment about the societal issues brought up.

But before you go on, let me highlight what has been going on the project pages.

We have decided and we hope you agree, that we should highlight just 4 books a month, in alternating sequence, two books by African writers and two by international women writers. This month, we have already highlighted the following books:

The above is an excerpt from Sedgo`s poem Hard Walker which was one of the poems on our Poetic Wednesday spot. The others were Everest, Words that Speak and Bleeding.

I am not much of a poet myself, and when I do try, I end up writing a rhymed rant that would have done better as prose. Oh well, to each his/her gift.

This week`s Queen story is titled Sylvia`s Gold. Sylvia`s story is not a new one. You may have heard it, maybe you lived it: Losing money is bad enough, but losing a home is worse. In this day and age, you can live on a tight budget, but you need a roof over your head. That is the dream Sylvia had for her children. The story`s gold is in how Sylvia has held up in spite of her troubles.

This week`s letter from a Mzee is titled What a girl wants. No, it is not a letter to the boys and men. It is a bit of reflection shared with the girls who must learn to love themselves so that they can take the best care of themselves.

And now, yes, it is time to let you read this week`s episode in Gabrielle`s life.

360Â° (3) Little Secrets

Is growing up supposed to be this tough, or am I getting extra because of my skin colour? I`ve been called anything from Yellow-yellow to Orange and Mzungu-nusu. I hate the names. Why can`t I just be me without any reference to my colour?

As if that was not enough, the neighbourhood children intentionally exclude me from their games because I am not like them, and when they let me play, a minute won`t go by without being teased and taunted. I can`t even make a mistake, be a kid without someone blaming it on my colour.

When I was younger, mum would look me in the eye, stand akimbo so she looked like a tough girl guide matron and shake her head in a proud way as she told me, Tonia dear, tell the awful kids you are beautiful, very clever and Mummy loves you. " Accompanied by a hug, this always sent my tear-streaked-puppy-dog-pouted-face into a radiant smile and full of strength to meet the world again, and out I would go to my playmates in a haste to deliver the exact same message told to me by Mama.

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